Den Haag geplunderd door Maarten van Rossum, 1528 1750

Simon Fokke created this engraving titled ‘Den Haag geplunderd door Maarten van Rossum, 1528,’ likely long after the actual event. The composition is dominated by a strong contrast of light and shadow, creating a sense of chaos and drama. The foreground teems with figures, sharply rendered, their poses dynamic and filled with implied violence. Buildings rise up in the midground fading into a smoky background. The artist’s detailed technique captures the texture of stone and fabric which adds to the realism. Structurally, the composition is divided into distinct zones: the chaotic foreground, the structured architecture of the midground, and the atmospheric, tumultuous sky. This division creates a sense of depth but also highlights the tension between order and disorder, civilization and destruction. The contrast between these elements asks us to consider the effects of conflict on society and the fragility of established structures when confronted with violence.